Cherry Bourbon Chocolate Truffles
This Cherry Bourbon Chocolate Truffles recipe from The Whole Smiths is easy to make and will make everyone that makes them feel like an experienced chocolatier! But, they’re easy, remember? Perfect for any occasion but especially for Valentine’s Day.
Let’s cut to the chase. You’re here for the chocolate truffles recipe. The bourbon, cherry and the chocolate in particular. Which one was it that hooked you? The bourbon? Cherries? Or was it the chocolate? Or maybe it was the mash-up of all three in one perfect bite that made your heart (and stomach) swoon?
Whatever the reason, you’re here. And I’m glad. But if you just can’t wait for the chocolate, then feel free to scroll past all this text and all these photos to get to the goods. I get it. But I also know how things go and you’re bound to have some questions on things like technique and substitutions so feel free to scroll right back up here and I’ll help you.
My thoughts about Valentine’s Day.
But first I’m going to tell you about how I approach Valentine’s Day. Because well, I made this Chocolate Truffles recipe with Valentine’s Day in mind. These are also a GREAT homemade treat around the holidays, to be honest, and I made them a few times this last Christmas. Whether you’re making these bourbon truffles to hand them out to friends and neighbors or as a sweet treat post-dinner, it’s a home run. And if I’m being completely honest, they’re great at any time. So there’s that.
Back to Valentine’s Day. Or V-Day. Or maybe just VD. I used to loathe Valentine’s Day. Looking back my love for Valentine’s Day died the year I stopped handing punch-out cards to my classmates if I’m being honest. Even as a young teenager I felt left out as I never really had a boyfriend, just unrequited crushes. As I grew older and had more romantic interests I found myself playing along with the notion of Valentine’s Day because that’s what you’re supposed to do. And what do you know, I still found myself disappointed in the whole charade.
In short, I realized it was a no-win situation. You don’t have a boyfriend? You feel like an undesirable 24-year-old spinster. You do have a partner but you realize how cheesy the day can be when you’re sitting at a chain restaurant looking around at all the other couples doing what they’re supposed to be doing and it all feels anything but special. Or you have a super lame boyfriend that does jack shit and you question the status of him and your entire relationship (in my case, rightfully so).
So.much.fun.
But it all changed once I had my girls.
I found myself so excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with them. Even as the littlest of babies. I found that I was loving Valentine’s Day and celebrating the love I had for my little babes. It dawned on me that Valentine’s Day didn’t have to be a celebration of romantic love but just love. Wherever you had it in your life. It didn’t need to be defined by what society says Valentine’s Day needed to be. It felt so much healthier to see it as an opportunity to celebrate love. Whether that’s a love between friends, parents, and children, siblings, whatever. Wherever you can find love, I feel it’s worth celebrating.
With this new outlook on Valentine’s Day, I look forward to the 14th each year now. Brad and I never venture out to dinner, instead, we make a great dinner at home and celebrate with our girls. And it is absolutely perfect.
Why you will fall in love with this Bourbon Chocolate Truffles recipe.
So let’s chat recipe now. As far as substitutions, there’s a couple but don’t get too fancy with them as the chocolate needs certain properties to be able to set up properly. You can swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk. And only full fat coconut milk, otherwise it won’t set.
And chocolates… I like to use milk chocolate for the inner gooey filling but you can certainly use dark or semi-sweet chocolate for that. I just prefer the contrast. Along the same lines, you can also use milk chocolate for the butter shell. Do whatever floats your boat.
And if you need some more VD inspo check out my 3-Minute Paleo Strawberry Mug Cake (great for last-minute people like myself), Strawberry Yogurt Bark and my Grain-Free Strawberry Filled Chocolate Cupcakes using Simple Mills cupcake mix.
Tips for making this Bourbon Chocolate Truffles recipe:
- You may want to heat the dark chocolate in two batches. It becomes harder to coat the truffles as the chocolate cools. But if you keep reheating the chocolate it will get funky. Do it in two batches, work quickly and don’t sweat it.
- Feel free to use raisins or dried blueberries in place of the dried cherries.
- You can use crushed nuts like walnuts or pecans instead of dried cherries if you’d like a nutty chocolate ball instead of a fruity one.
- If you really want to get wild with things, melt a bit of white chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the finished product. It makes it look even fancier.
Can I use almond milk?
Nope, unfortunately not. Cream and full-fat coconut milk have a much higher fat content than almond milk ever will and that allows the mixture to thicken as it cools because fat hardens as it cool. Milks like almond and oat don’t have that property.
What’s a double-boiler?
It’s a way to heat delicate foods (like cream or chocolate) gently without scorching it. Essentially it’s a large bowl or pan suspended over boiling water. The steam heats the ingredients in the suspended bowl. You can find one on Amazon HERE or use a large stock pot and put a large stainless steel mixing bowl over top.
My truffles aren’t perfectly round! Help!
That’s ok! You’re not a machine so there’s going to be variation. Don’t sweat it, they don’t have to be perfect.
Can I make these Whole30 if I use unsweetened chocolate?
Absolutely not. Hard no.
Cherry Bourbon Chocolate Truffles
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 1 additional teaspoon reserved for decor dried cherries chopped into tiny pieces
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream full fat coconut milk will work as a substitute
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 12 ounces milk chocolate
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of the cherries and the bourbon to a small bowl and let them soak. Set aside.
- Using a double boiler, add the cream (or coconut milk) and heat it until it is hot but not boiling.
- Once the cream is hot, add the butter and the milk chocolate and stir it until the cocoa melts.
- Add the bourbon-soaked cherries to the melted chocolate and mix them in. Let the chocolate sit at room temperature for about 4 hours (more is ok).
- Use a small cookie dough scoop to scoop about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for several hours until it is hardened.
- When the chocolate is ready, melt the dark chocolate in another double boiler (or even your microwave, just make sure to stir it every 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn!).
- Drop one of the cooled balls of chocolate filling into the melted dark chocolate and coat it letting
- any excess drip off. A spoon is helpful to do this. Place the truffle back onto the parchment
- paper and place a tiny piece of dried cherry on top if you’d like for decoration. Repeat until all of the chocolate is used.
- Place the sheet of truffles into the refrigerator and refrigerate for 6+ hours.
- To serve, remove truffles 30 minutes prior to serving. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
Notes
- You may want to heat the dark chocolate in two batches. It becomes harder to coat the truffles as the chocolate cools. But if you keep reheating the chocolate it will get funky. Do it in two batches, work quickly and don’t sweat it.
- Feel free to use raisins or dried blueberries in place of the dried cherries.
- You can use crushed nuts like walnuts or pecans instead of dried cherries if you’d like a nutty
chocolate ball instead of a fruity one. - If you really want to get wild with things, melt a bit of white chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the finished product. It makes it look even fancier.
I like how you talked about how Valentine’s Day is different now that you can celebrate love rather than romance once you have kids. My kids love chocolate, especially my daughters. I’ll either make or buy some chocolate truffles and give it to them for Valentine’s Day next year to show how much I love them.
These are delectable, melt in your mouth treats! I’m going to try soaking the cherries longer for more bourbon flavor. I can’t wait to make these to give as gifts to my family! Yum!!
So happy you loved them! it’s one of our favorites!
Is it possible to substitute ghee for the butter or a different butter substitution for those of us who are dairy-free?
Ghee will work just great!
These truffles are insane. I soaked the cherries overnight just because that worked for my schedule. Otherwise made as instructed, including coating with chocolate in two batches. So grateful for that tip because it was clear that I could not have done that in one batch. Love this recipe.
Do I drain the soaked cherries before adding to the chocolate mixture?
Yes, drain the cherries.
Can I use Maraschino cherries instead of dried cherries if they’re dried with a paper towel and diced?
Yes!